CONVICT INGENUITY.

Evening Star, Issue 3426, 13 February 1874, Page 2

CONVICT INGENUITY.

The ‘Pa'l Mall Gazette’ states that a very strange discovery, which speaks volumes in favor of the ingenuity of the conviets of Sing Sing prison, in the United states, has just been made at that establishment. It seems that for some time past the convicts have occasionally been noticed to bo under the influence of strong drink, but all efforts on the part ot the officials failed to elic.t from them * here the liquor had been obtained. The other evening, however, an incident occurred which ultimately led the prison authorities to the fountain of convict bliss. As one of the night guards was pacing the galleries, his attention was attracted to a cell solely occupied by a prisoner known bv the name of Irish Tom. this captive appeared to be talking “in a conversational sort of way to some person near him, whom he alternately chided and caressed, using such terms as a man under convivial circumstances might address to a bosom friend or benefactor. On opening ’l oin’s cell, the guard found him in a glorious state of iutoxication, giving some affectionate advice to a black bottle, the contents of which were almost exhausted. Next mornmg on being threatened with severe punishment unless he confessed i where ha procured the liquor, Tom. after some hesita! tion stated that he bad obtained it from another convict named John Short, who was working in the marble quarries. Without a search'of the quarry was immediately instituted, where in a RpHndoii corner, .belter* by i f. Has found oue of the most remarkable con tnvances on record for the manufacture of whibky. A couple of pris m S iSn; * sr «s wU-.’sk ‘twSbf puroot of a “«"««* the P P of ft atiU, whU§ a section of

inch gaspipe, artistically bent, formed the worm, thus completing an apparatus which, it is understood, was capable of producin'' five gallons of homespun daily. This fright* ful liquor was retailed by Short to his’fel-low-convicts, in sarsaparilla bottles, at the rate of one dollar each. Before Short was informed of the seizure of his distillery, he was searched and on his person was found a belt containing over 600 dollars, being the proceeds of sales from his illicit business, winch he has, for a time at least, been compelled to relinquish.